Fruit benefits a healthy lifestyle by giving us the carbohydrates, fiber and micronutrients essential for our bodies to function properly. The carbohydrates that come from fruit are easier for our bodies to digest than those that come from grains and the fiber and micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals, help support essential functions in the brain, nerves and muscles.

The health benefits of fruit cannot be disputed and are recognized among natural health practitioners as well as the traditional medical community.

The numerous ways fruit (fresh or dried) benefits a healthy lifestyle will be broken down into the following seven popular fruit categories: apple, banana, grapefruit, mango, orange, strawberry and tomato.

Let’s explore how each category helps support our natural body rhythms and health.

1. Apples Are Proven Nutraceuticals

We’ve all heard the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but did you know that apples contain substances that have protective and therapeutic values? Known as nutraceuticals, these fruit benefits may be just what your body needs for optimum health.

Apples contain a number of antioxidants that reduce damage from free radicals. Free radicals are naturally formed by the body when a molecule in the body loses an electron. This can happen during metabolism, or when we are fighting off a virus or bacterial infection.

Flavonoids, just one of the many apple fruit benefits, are a group of plant pigments that determine the color of fruits and vegetables and help reduce the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease and heart attack mortality in humans.

The delicious red apple also contains pectin, also known as soluble fiber, which has been found to help lower blood cholesterol levels. Pectin causes the cholesterol in foods to remain in the intestinal tract until it is eliminated from the body. It also binds carcinogens in the colon, which helps protect the body from certain types of cancer.

When it comes to the health benefits of fruit, apples lead the pack. Eat at least one a day, then lift a glass of apple juice or cider and drink to your health!

2. Natural Health Benefits of Bananas

Besides being a good source of fiber, magnesium, potassium, carbohydrates, vitamin C and vitamin B6, bananas boast a bevy of other benefits. But first, let’s start with the ones you know.

Potassium is a vital mineral that can help replenish electrolytes and reduce stress and vitamin B6 is good for calming the nervous system and supporting vital body functions.

Magnesium can help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal and also helps with the uptake of calcium.

But did you know that bananas are also a good source of tryptophan? This protein found in bananas converts serotonin to the neurotransmitter once it enters the body. Serotonin is used for treating depression, so eating a banana can elevate your mood, help you relax and feel happier.

3. Optimal Health Benefits of Grapefruit

The fruit benefits of grapefruit include vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B5, potassium, lycopene, and fiber. Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a power-packed vitamin that is essential to the support of the immune system and helps prevent free-radical damage that can trigger inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Lycopene, along with other phytonutrients found in grapefruit, inhibit tumor formation because they form glutathione-S-transferase, a detoxifying enzyme. Lycopene has the highest capacity of the common dietary carotenoids when it comes to fighting oxygen-free radicals.

Eat a grapefruit or drink its juice on a regular basis so your body can take advantage of all the benefits of grapefruit.

4. Power-Packed Mangos

Mangos, one of the world’s most popular fruits, are an excellent source of beta carotene, pectin, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacin, potassium, fiber, and iron. That’s a list that packs a punch!

One mango delivers almost twice the recommended daily allowance for adults of vitamin A, which is believed to help protect the body from heart disease, help prevent cancer and even eliminate acne.

Additionally, Iron-rich mangos are high in antioxidants, low in carbohydrates, depurative, diuretic, and can help combat stomach acidity.

5. Outstanding Oranges

Oranges, noted for their vitamin C, are a good source for fiber, folate, calcium, potassium, vitamin B1, and vitamin A.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and offers immune support. It is also the body’s primary water-soluble antioxidant. This helps disarm free radicals, which in turn helps reduce the risk of cancer, inflammation and helps prevent the oxidation of cholesterol.

Oranges can trigger allergic reactions in some people. This is often due to the sulfites that orange peels are typically treated with. Orange peels contain limolene oil, another major allergen.

The downside is that strawberries contain oxalic acid, which reduces mineral absorption.

When measured in ounces, strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges and the seeds provide insoluble fiber that can help prevent constipation. Because of the pectin that strawberries contain, they help lower cholesterol.

You can also use strawberries externally. Strawberry juice will remove tarter from teeth and help heal gums, while the flesh of fresh strawberries can make an excellent facial mask that rids the skin of dead cells and heals blemishes.

7. Tomatoes, Packed With More than Just Lycopene

You may already know that tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that protects the body from some types of cancer, but did you know tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, potassium, fiber, and iron?

The vitamin A and vitamin C in tomatoes help neutralize free radicals and the fiber helps lower high cholesterol levels as well as regulate blood sugar levels. Eating tomatoes, fresh or cooked, can help lower the risk of heart disease.

Enjoy the Health Benefits of Fruit in Other Forms

The health benefits of fruit can be found in dried fruit and juices. Dried fruit generally contains more nutrients than fresh fruit because it is in a concentrated form. Eating five servings a day of fruit will make sure your body receives the fruit benefits it needs to support a healthy, functioning system.

Always Consult Your Physician FirstAlthough it is helpful to get health information by reading and talking with friends, make sure you consult your doctor first before trying any new treatment or changing your diet.

Remember that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate the strength, purity or safety of herbs and supplements.

Be sure to always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, speak with your doctor before taking medical action or changing your health routine.

Are You a Health Food Nut?

Lentils. Fish. Nuts. You know health food is good for you, but that doesn't necessarily make a bland block of tofu any more appealing. Experts insist that health food is essential to your diet, but do you know why? Test your knowledge on healthy fare - from garlic to green tea - with this health food quiz.

The information contained on www.lifescript.com(the "Site") is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for advice from your doctor or health-care professional. This information should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Always seek the advice of a qualified health-care professional regarding any medical condition. Information and statements provided by the site about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Lifescript does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, third-party products, procedures, opinions, or other information mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by Lifescript is solely at your own risk.